- Although it wouldn't seem so, you will need to buy some accessories besides your telescope and camera. This includes three essential items: A T-ring, a camera mount, and an equilateral mount. The T-ring will be the connecting piece to the telescope eyepiece, as this little ring will connect right on to your threaded lens and eyepiece. Along with that, however, you will need a camera mount. This will hold the camera in place, as you take your long-exposure shots. Last, but not least, you will need an equilateral mount if you plan on taking pictures of deep-sky objects. This mount is extremely easy to use, and it is one that can be polar-aligned, which will be vital for long-exposure pictures.
- A picture of the Moon, as seen through a telescopethe moon image by Craig Hanson from Fotolia.com
Once you have purchased your equipment, it will be time to take your shots. The best time and place to do this will be on a clear night, in a place away from city lights. Light pollutes the sky, and it makes faint objects seem even fainter. The best way to begin astrophotography is by starting with our solar system. The moon will be the easiest to shoot, as it is the biggest object in the sky. Once you find your object of interest, it will be time to take the picture. Do this by setting your camera's exposure settings to 10 seconds, and taking the shot. Setting your exposure to 10 seconds helps your camera collect more light, and it makes good shots even better. As you get more experienced, you will learn what the best exposure times are for certain celestial objects.
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